LED Upgrade

[ETBReefer05]

Hey Evil,
I would just like some advice on setting up an LED lighting system on my 60 gallon (36LX21.5Hx18D). I was planning on around 48 LEDs with 40 degree optics and would like to have a fully dimmable dawn to daylight to dusk effect. Also, i am currently using T5s and love my Fiji Purple bulb, what would be a suitable LED alternative to this spectrum bulb? Basically what I'm looking for is your recommended brand and model of LEDs and Drivers to achieve my desired setup. Thank You

[XSiVE]

again, while im not evil, I would suggest against 40 deg optics on that type of setup.. you're going to end up with quite a bit of spotlighting even if you space them pretty wide, you will need to place the fixture over 18" above the tank to get good color blending.

[ETBReefer05]

again, while im not evil, I would suggest against 40 deg optics on that type of setup.. you're going to end up with quite a bit of spotlighting even if you space them pretty wide, you will need to place the fixture over 18" above the tank to get good color blending.

Yeah, sorry, its been a while since we talked about this. I couldn't remember all the details. Thanks :)

[XSiVE]

boy that didnt make a ton of sense... this is what I get for posting while drinking. base of the point, you probably wont want 40 deg optics.

[ETBReefer05]

I got that much out of it :)

[evilc66]

I agree with XSiVE about the optics. 40 is too tight. If you needed them at all, 60 would be as tight as I'd go. If you are doing a mixed tank, you could get away without using optics at all.

As for the number of LEDs you would need, at a minimum 36, in a 12x3 array. Meanwell ELN "D" drivers are about as easy as it gets with the least amount of parts. To get more of a Fiji Purple look, you would have to use warmer white LEDs. I advise against red LEDs as they can be extremely distracting.

[ETBReefer05]

Something like the Neutral White Cree XR-E Star LEDs?

[XSiVE]

if you're going to head toward neutral whites, you wont want to go with a 1:1 ratio of white to blue... you will probably want in the range of 1:1.5 or 1:2 but that's getting into personal preference.

also, dont bother looking for neutral whites in xr series, look at xp.

[ETBReefer05]

Hmmm, so far I've only been able to find cool white in the XP series. Looked on rapidled.com and ledsupply.com

[evilc66]

Yes, neutral white would be an option. Warm white to me is much too red, but it does bring out certain colors differently.

There is nothing wrong with XR-E neutrals. Sure, XP-G neutral have higher output, but XR-Es are still a viable option, and cheaper than the XP-Gs. Also easier to find. We (Nanotuners/Nanocustoms, a sponsor here), have neutral white XR-Es in stock, but should have XP-G neutrals soon (don't know the exact date). If you aren't going to use dimmable drivers, you will need to bias the ratio more towards blue. Stick with 1:1 if you use dimmable.

[ETBReefer05]

Yes, I had checked Nanotuners.com as well. I think at this point I will go with the XR-Es, but it will be a bit before I buy anything (Probably December), so hopefully someone will have the XP-G neutrals in by then. I will do dimmable on this setup to achieve a more natural graduation of color temperature in the morning and again at night. Basically, I want to do as much as possible without becoming a certified electrician. I can wire the LEDs and set them up to a power supply, but I don't want to be regulating the current manually or anything like that...too scary lol.